Wise Words, and a Hat
by Awful Waffle
Summary: A young man gets wise words about love and life from an older gentlemen. Oneshot, future-based.


In an old town in Kanto, there was a small little restaurant that served as a place for many of the old-timers to go and reminisce about their younger days, but it had also been greatly admired for the flower assortments that were sold there, hand-picked and arranged by the old lady who ran the place. It was a modest place, to stay the least, but it was ran by one of the kindest hearts around.

On one golden afternoon, a young man, probably around sixteen in age, walked into the old restaurant, an obvious downcast look in his eyes. His messy black hair was down into his blue eyes, and he looked like he had been crying. In his hand was a bouquet of beautiful flowers, white and pink in color. He gently placed them on the counter, in front of the old lady, and his dreary voice rang out like a bell of mourning, "I... didn't have a use for these after all. I don't want a refund, but please sell them to someone else who needs them." The little old lady had a look of worry on her face. "Is there anything I can get you?" she asked. "N-no thank you." the boy replied. "Nonsense, I'll get my Aipom to whip you up a delicious sandwich. Just go sit down and wait, and don't worry, it's on the house." The old lady smiled at the teen, and although this woman's genuine compassion warmed him a bit, it didn't sooth the aching burden on his heart.

"Hey," the young man heard an older gentlemen calling out to him, "Hey, you up there, yeah. Come back here and keep an old man company, we'll have a little talk." The guy wasn't about to deny the old man, and he looked rather lonely sitting there in the corner. His attire looked a little worn— an old white cap that nestled over his shaggy white hair, which matched with his thick white mustache. But, he seemed nice, and the young man was sure to oblige.

After he took a seat, the old man smiled at him. "What seems to be aching you, kid?" What a personal question. But, the heartbroken lad got the feeling that the old man could help, so he opened up.

"I... well... there's this girl that I've been traveling with, y'know, raising Pokemon and battling in Gyms and such."

"Ah," the old man replied with a smile, "sounds like fun."

"Yeah," the young man replied, "but... yesterday was her birthday, and I was going to buy her some flowers and tell her..."

"How you feel?" The old man finished the sentence that was left hanging, with another big smile.

"Yeah," the boy replied.

"What stopped you?" the old man's voice probed further; he had the curiosity of a child.

"Well.. I was planning on telling her for a while, but figured her birthday would be best, and it gave me some time to gain confidence. But, when I went to give her these flowers, she was already holding a bouquet of the same flowers, and hugging another guy... who also happens to be my rival." The old man's bright eyes faltered.

"Ah... I'm sorry about that, kid." The old man's hand went down to pet something at his side, although the young man couldn't see what it was over the old wooden table. "But, you have to suck it up. Life is too short to pass up things like love, no matter how young. You've just gotta go and sweep her off her feet, make her realize you're the better guy."

"Easier said the done," the younger replied, although his eyes grew curious as well. "Hey, old man, how do you even know how I feel? What if I don't want to go after her?"

"You do. You'd be stupid not to." was the old man's reply.

"Have you ever been in a situation like this?"

"Many times, kid. When I was young, I was focused on being the best at everything. But, my passion for what I did came before everything else. I traveled with girls who were beautiful, and strong-willed, but my blindness and lack of confidence with girls made me realize far too late what I had lost, after they were gone. I could have had a beautiful life with any one of them, that I could."

"So.. you let all those girls get away? And you still haven't got anyone?" The boy seemed even more saddened.

"Well, I wouldn't say I didn't have anyone," the old man smiled, and looked down to his left— he was apparently petting a Pokemon that was sitting at his side. "But, it's about time for me to go, kid. Here," the old timer took his hat off and put it on the table, facing the young man. "Take this."

The young man studied the hat. It was white, with a red bill and the old, green Pokemon League logo on the front of it. "I couldn't take this.." the boy said.

"Don't be like that. This hat's treated me well, but it's due time that I take it off. I wore that back when I was a trainer, you see, and when I had that hat on, I felt like I would set the world ablaze. I almost did, a few times," the old man chuckled. "But promise me, go out and show that girl just how great you are. But," the old timer, although still smiling, seemed very sad, or regretful. "Please, don't let the chance for love pass you up. Come on, old pal," the old man said, before getting up and walking away. At his side was a small yellow creature, which the young man identified as a Pikachu, but it looked rather old, like the man.

The boy didn't know why, but just by talking to the old man, and looking at that old hat he saw on the table, he wanted to cry again.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I wrote this out of boredom and randomly got the inspiration out of nowhere. Hope you like it. I dub this "regret fluff". ;'3 (Hopefully you figured out who the old man is.)


End file.
